Clona Dairies suppliers’ and all Irish milk producers’ hard work must be fairly rewarded by the food chain

IFA National Liquid Milk Chairman John Finn has congratulated the liquid milk suppliers to Clona Dairies for becoming the first producer group 100% certified under the SDAS scheme – Bord Bia’s farm facing side of Origin Green.

John Finn said this was achieved thanks to the hard work of farmers, in conjunction with their co-ops and processor, and that it should be leveraged by industry and valued by retailers, so that farmers are fairly rewarded with sustainable milk prices.

“All of Ireland’s milk producers, including liquid milk producers, are engaged in the SDAS/Origin Green process, and the number certified is already well in excess of 82%, and rising fast with the stated target for all milk purchasers to reach 100% by year end,” Mr Finn said.

“Farmers have engaged in the SDAS process to prove their sustainability credentials and to add value to their milk. But this value must be appreciated, and fully leveraged by our processors, including our liquid milk dairies, to deliver sustainable liquid milk payments, especially over the winter months,” he said.

“Without winter payments that cover the significantly higher production costs incurred, the economic viability of year-round specialist milk production becomes doubtful, and the security of fresh, high quality, locally produced milk supplies for the Irish drinking milk market at certain times of the year will come into question,” John Finn concluded.